Lois Ann James' Obituary
Lois Ann “tūtū” James, age 98 of Gainesville passed away Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Reflecting her attitude and joy for life, her last words before passing were “Happy, Happy Happy”. Lois was born on Valentines Day 1927 in Toledo, Ohio to Herbert and Betty McNierney. Shortly after she was born, she and her parents moved to Gross Pointe, Michigan. It was there she met the love of her life Norman (Bud) James. They were married in 1947 and moved to Birmingham, Michigan where she raised their three children (Norman “Deke”, Christopher, and Susan).
Bud and Lois retired in 1986 and moved to Kapalua, Maui. It was in Hawaii where she became known as tūtū (Hawaiian for grandmother) as she helped raise Susan (James) and Micheal Gardner’s two daughters Jennifer (Bergeron) and Ashley. In 1999 Bud and Lois followed the Gardner family to Florida. Bud and Lois settled in Melrose, because it reminded them of Oscoda Michigan, where they spent their honeymoon and summers thereafter. Almost every night however, they came into Gainesville to see the Gardner Family and their son Christopher’s family. Later, in 2012, Bud and Lois moved to the Atrium in Gainesville. To say tūtū was an entertaining character would be an understatement. She leaves her family with the gift of lots of great stories to tell for a long time to come.
Lois was preceded in passing by Bud, her husband of 68 years and her son Norman. She is survived by her children, Christopher (Hillary) James and Susan (Michael) Gardner; four grandchildren, Kathryn and Colleen (Comeau) James, Jennifer (Bergeron) and Ashley Gardner, and four great grandchildren, Bentley and Natalie (Bergeron), and Gabriel and Eli (Gardner).
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